Monthly Archives: January 2012

The early season narrative for the TWolves has been that Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love are amazing players who need some help. Other starting players, most notably Wesley Johnson and Darko Milicic, have failed to provide meaningful production or consistent play that breeds any confidence in the two stars’ supporting cast.

Michael Beasley led last year’s team in scoring per minute (21.4 per 36; 19.2 per game) but didn’t make himself many fans after ankle sprains on each leg derailed what looked like a promising season. In 73 games, he surpassed 30 points 8 times, and 40 points once. But the way he scored those points, often isolation sets with some ball-stoppage, isn’t popular or always fun to watch. Also, and much more significantly if we’re being fair, his defense was often times lazy and always incoherent. A plausible retort to this would be that he was simply “joining the club” of Rambis-coached wings who had no idea how to rotate defensively. Beasley had serious flaws to be addressed if he were going to be an impact player on an up-and-coming team led by Rubio and Love.

This season, some fans and analysts expected a breakout year from Supercool Mike, both because of Rubio’s playmaking but more so because Rick Adelman would devise schemes to get him the ball closer to the hoop. A problem with the Rambis triangle was that it often resorted to clearing out for Mike 24 feet from the basket for everyone else to stand and watch. This wasn’t good for Mike’s efficiency or the Timberwolves win/loss record. In the early going this year, he showed flashes of improved play. His defense was been better. Night and day. He’s played respectable defense on LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and even Kobe Bryant. If you watched Wellington try to guard Kevin Martin (or if you remember the days of Shaddy McCants trying to defend Baron Davis or LBJ) you’ve seen an outmatched defender in a Wolves uniform. This is not Michael Beasley. If he’s focused and coached, he’s an adequate-or-better defensive wing. His shot was colder than we’ve ever seen it in the early going. He put together stinkers of 11-27, 2-6, 5-16, and 4-12 before spraining his foot and missing the next 11 games. It should be noted that the Wolves were probably playing their best basketball in that early going against a brutal schedule. They trounced the Spurs and Mavs (with Dirk, unlike the second time they beat them without Mike) and held late-game leads on title-favorites OKC and Miami. But Mike needed his shot to fall like it used to before things could really take off for he and the team.

Of course, the schedule weakened right around the time of the injury and the team ripped off an 11-game stretch of over-.500 basketball, going 6-5. THEY’RE BETTER WITHOUT BEASLEY! LOOK AT THE BALL MOVEMENT! Only, if you watched the Toronto or Atlanta games, you saw what happened against a respectable foe when the game slowed down and shot creating became a necessity. The Wolves have exactly one shot creator on the team, and he was sidelined for those games. You might also look at those 6 wins and notice that they came against either garbage competition (Wizards, Hornets, Kings, Pistons) or good teams that were without future Hall of Famers (Clippers without Chris Paul, Mavericks without Dirk Nowitzki). The record was inflated by an easy schedule. Despite what some desperately wanted to believe, the team was NOT better without its best scorer.

Fast forward to tonight’s game at Houston. The Rockets (who recently spanked the Mike-less Wolves at Target Center) held a mighty 9-2 home record heading into this game. Minnesota had no rest, traveling overnight into Houston after a hard-fought loss against LA. Houston rested last night in their beds at home. This was not a game the Wolves should have won.

Oh, but they did win, and they pummeled the Rockets behind Mike Beasley’s 34 points on 14 shots. Mike had his jumper going, his dribble penetration game going, and he was getting to the line where he hit all 12 attempts. His monster scoring performance led the way in this one, increasing the lead throughout the second half. The Ricky & Love show became a Minnesota Big 3, as Rubio damn-near f’d around and got a triple double (18 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds) and Love added 29 & 7 of his own.

Is Mike going to score like this every night? Of course not. But he will some nights, and on those nights Minnesota will be almost unbeatable. When he’s clanking shot after shot? Sit him down, or watch Kevin Love collect rebounds. Beasley draws extra defenders, a skill that doesn’t show up in a box score but is essential to consistently-successful offense in the NBA. He also complements the team’s best players by adding a skill that neither possesses: a dominant one-on-one game that will foul out opponents, allow teammates to get some rest on offense, and challenge opposing coaches into lineup decisions they might not prefer.

I hope this isn’t a one-game fluke, and an amazing coach like Adelman can draw as much of Beasley’s natural talent as is possible. He’s a restricted free agent this off-season and the forward duo lauded by John Hollinger last year could be really something, especially with the Spanish floor general leading the way.

Some additional thoughts:

* Martell Webster’s feisty defense in the second quarter turned the game. He plays D on a slightly-different level than his teammates. Watch a Memphis Grizzlies game for comparable effort and approach. This is an asset, for sure, especially from a guy that the team can afford to get in foul trouble (because he will, if he plays this way). Webster should be the starting shooting guard very soon. Let’s all hope his back stays healthy. No more of these.

* Derrick Williams is frozen out of the rotation. TRADE DERRICK WILLIAMS will become a common meme. That could be wise, depending on the deal, but let’s not lose sight of the talent here, and how similarly-awesome college players with talent took their licks en route to NBA improvement. James Harden and Evan Turner took time to adjust, as Williams will. Biggest reasons for NOT trading him: (1) He’s on the rookie scale; and (2) He’s insurance against Love getting injured or Love bolting after 3 years. If he continues to improve as a power forward, and he will, those are not insignificant factors. A shooting guard can be signed in free agency this off-season, if need be.

* Kyle Lowry versus Ricky Rubio could be an All-Star debate in the next few years. Lowry bested him at Target Center, and Ricky took this match. Very different players. Very good players.

With the Wolves playing again tonight (at Houston, 7:00 CST, FSN North) I’m going to wrap up last night’s loss to the Lakers rather briefly, Clint Eastwood style.

The Good

The end-of-third-quarter lineup of Rubio-Webster-Beasley-Randolph-Love. After the struggling through two and a half quarters of ugly basketball and trailing by 18 points, Rick Adelman called timeout. He subbed Webster in for Wes Johnson, Beasley in for Luke Ridnour, and Randolph in for Brad Miller (made his season debut, managed to get T’d up in 8 minutes of action).

This group, arguably the five most talented Timberwolves, ripped off a 19-6 run to end the quarter that FINALLY got the crowd rocking on a cold Sunday Night in Minneapolis. Ricky pushed the tempo, jumpers started falling, and the ones that missed were tipped in by aggressive crashing of the boards. This momentum carried into the fourth quarter with the Wolves eventually taking small leads late into the game. The +/- numbers were kind to Beasley, Randolph and Webster due to this stretch of play.

Also in the “good” column: Kobe Bean Bryant. He’s become even-more polarizing than ever this year, chucking shots at a higher rate with (slightly) diminished ability on a Laker team that is struggling to meet the championship-level standard to which it is held. Kobe’s historically-great skill set was on display last night as he put together a 35-point, 14-rebound performance that left Wolves fans shaking their heads and Laker fans (lots of them showed up in their Number 24’s) going wild.

The Bad

Timberwolves shooting. The Wolves shot 25 more times than the Lakers did from the floor, and the same number of times from the free throw line. The problem was that LA hit 50.6 percent of shots, and Minnesota hit 38.5 percent (40-104). The worst offenders were Rubio (2-13) and Webster (4-15). On a night when the Wolves pulled down 24 offensive rebounds, turned the ball over only 4 times, and shot the same number of free throws as the opposition, a defeat is rather puzzling. Shots weren’t falling.

The Ugly

The “defense” being played on Andrew Bynum in the last three minutes of the game. Adelman had the Wolves playing some zone defense in the fourth, and it was successful in part in forcing difficult shots and containing Kobe. But in a key sequence late in the game, it left the enormous Andrew Bynum open in the paint for easy dunks. The first one gave the Lakers a 95-94 lead with 3:04 to go. The second extended a one point lead to three, with 1:49 to go. In these crucial possessions, it isn’t asking much to prevent uncontested dunks. Defensive breakdowns were ugly to watch and helped lead to a disappointing loss.

Despite the brilliant performance turned in by Nikola Pekovic (aka, The Godfather) in last night’s win over San Antonio, most Wolves fans would agree that the center position remains an area of concern. One (or two or three or four) quality performance from Big Pek isn’t enough SAMPLE SIZE to alter my opinion on this seeming truth. One possible solution that is often discussed (and occasionally utilized) is to slide Kevin Love over to center. On this Wolves team that recently drafted a power forward with the second overall pick, there’s a glut that would be partially lessened if Love moved over to the low block on defense and allowed Williams to play his natural position at the four.

But, as I am sure you’ve read or heard, this is not a winning formula. Look at the Lakers and their dynasties. The common denominator is a Herculean Center that dominates the paint, fouls out his opponents, and inevitably blings out his hands with championship jewelry. The Celtic dynasties included the best defensive center of all time, Bill Russell, a true rim protector whose blocked shots would often double as outlet passes to Bob Cousy. Their 1980’s dynasty had a huge and dominant front line of Bird, McHale, and The Chief, Robert Parish. And Michael Jordan’s Bulls, while offensively-led by star wing players, always had seven-foot goons to protect the paint.

So, is there a championship-tested example of an undersized center?

There is actually, and Willis Reed’s Knickerbocker teams of the early 1970’s are widely considered to be one of the best true TEAMS in league history. Reed was under 6’9″ without shoes on, much like Kevin Love is. Harvey Araton of the New York Times recently wrote one of the best sports books I have ever read. When the Garden was Edengoesinto detail about Coach Red Holzman’s decision to play Reed at center against goliath centers of the 1970’s, and how a seeming weakness would sometimes prove to be a strength.

First was the debate of whether to play Reed at the 4 or the 5. In the early part of his career, the team made an aggressive trade for Hall of Fame center Walt Bellamy.

“I think they thought because Bellamy was bigger that I would be better as a forward,” Reed said. Throughout his career, he was alternately listed at 6’10” and 6’9″, but Holzman had measured him at Grambling in his socks at a shade under 6’9″. The conventional wisdom was that if they were to contend for a title, the Knicks would need more size at the position to confront the likes of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.

Sound familiar? Remember when Ryan Hollins started over Kevin Love? (!!!) Remember when Darko Milicic got serious tick on the Wolves? (What–that’s still happening?!) The concerns about Reed playing center sound much like the Wolves’ own obsessions over length up front and the need for a true center.

So, how did things work out for the undersized Knicks? Well, a quick Google search can tell you if you didn’t already know that they won two championships with Reed playing center. Araton describes the effective strategy of matching up Reed against legends Alcindor and Chamberlain, en route to the 1970 title.

Offensively, Reed was a nightmare for the UCLA grad. The young Alcindor was loath to switch on screens, and against a team with as many shooters and willing passers as the Knicks, that sort of immobility amounted to playing too long on the railroad tracks. Reed would step outside for jumpers, and when Alcindor deigned to challenge him, he would fake the jumper and go hard to his left.

Reed’s approach against the young Kareem–camp out on the perimeter and dare him to come out–would go double for Wilt Chamberlain in the Finals…

In Game 1, for reasons that were related to his health, his head, or both, Chamberlain refused to move away from the basket to contest Reed’s mid-range jump shot. Reed scored 25 points–in the first half.

The teams split the first two games in New York, but Reed erupted again for 38 points in Game 3.

(Araton, 130-131).

If Willis Reed could pose matchup problems against Abdul-Jabbar (then Alcindor) and Chamberlain–arguably the two greatest centers in world history–could Kevin Love hold a similar advantage against modern NBA centers? I recently wrote about the modern NBA center position, and the dearth of bigs who actually dominate games with post play. Love has a low center of gravity and can hold position on the block in those instances when a big man decides on a post move. Would these players enjoy chasing Love out to 23-feet, where he’s currently hitting 40.4 percent of three-point attempts?

Love battling with David Lee under the boards

Perhaps bigger defenders would guard Derrick Williams, since he’s showing himself to be more of an interior scorer than any Wolf not named Pekovic. But so what if they do? D-Thrill would blow by taller, slower players and create more highlights than he already does.

It’s an idea worth exploring. Share your comments, and go read Harvey’s book if you enjoy NBA history. Or team sports. Or good writing.

The Wolves continued their strong play against Texas this season (*ahem*, Houston–I know) with an 87-79 victory over the San Antonio at Target Center. Love had a workman-like 18 & 16, while Rubio put up 18 & 10 on 7-12 from the floor.

The Wolves were the better team tonight. It showed. They owned it. It was the first game this season against against an upper-tier team where the players knew it was theirs to lose. And they won.

Yes, there was sloppy play, unforced errors, and plenty of potentially costly mistakes, but the Wolves finally looked and played like they were vets who had been there before, like they knew they had the situation handled. Their calm, cool, confidence, combined with execution when they needed it, that put Duncan & co. away and sealed the deal for the Pups.

***

A few quick thoughts:

CORRELATION OR CAUSATION: Darko was out, Pek played like the legit NBA big we were expecting when we drafted him, and the Love/Pek duo gave Duncan/Splitter/Blair fits on the glass. Seriously, Pek has been showing signs recently–signs of doing things we’d all written off. Small sample, for sure, but is this guy finally coming around? What should the rotations look like if he is?

It was great to see Mike Beasley back on the court. I’m an unapologetic Beasley fan who really believes Mike will help this team once he settles into Adelman’s system. That wasn’t happening from the bench. Beasley only shot 3-11 and definitely showed some rust, but he looked healthy and attacked the basket hard. We can’t get enough of that from him and Derrick Williams, both of whom will start getting more calls as the team wins more and begins to earn respect around the league.

It was great to see Martell Webster back on the court. I wish I could be as optimistic about Webster as I am about Beasley, but he just doesn’t look healthy. Back injuries tend to linger, and they really hinder lateral mobility. Case in point, Martell’s gimpy jog around the perimeter didn’t inspire confidence. He has, er, unique hair and he stuck a nice trey with a hand in his face during his brief run tonight, but I’ll be surprised if he’ll be healthy enough to take Wes Johnson’s minutes at any point this season. Here’s hoping I’m wrong on this one.

That’s all for now folks. It’s Friday night and I’m gonna go get my fun on.

After penning his name on a gigantic four-year contract extension (approximately $62 Million over 4 years, with player option after third year) Kevin Love went out and played a near-perfect game of basketball against the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. Spearheading a dominant second half for his team (53-36) Love posted 31 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks without any of the disruptive, gimmicky tactics that I whined so much about the other night. Love shot 6 treys and hit 4 of them, he played hard defense all over the floor (not his type of matchup when Yi draws him outside the paint) and provided the uber-efficient productivity that makes him special. One game in, Love looks well-worth the dough.

Beating Dallas at its home court is a bit less (okay, WAY LESS) impressive when Dirk is on the sidelines with a knee injury. The Mavs started this game with some red-hot shooting, particularly from Jasons Kidd and Terry, Yi Jianlian, and Rodrique Beaubois. I wondered whether the Wolves (shorthanded themselves without Ridnour, Barea, Beasley, Webster, Miller, and Lee) would have enough legs to ramp up the defensive pressure and hang in this game.

They did. Rubio in particular was relentless in attacking the defense, staving off defensive pressure, and constantly seeking out steal opportunities (4 times successfully) for 46 crucial minutes of point guard play. Only for a short two-minute stint of Wayne at the point did Ricky get a breather.

My one problem with Rubio’s game (no, not his 7 turnovers; those are part of the package for this type of playmaker) is that he shot too much. His jumper is quickly molding into its Euro League form, with his field goal percentage now plummeted to 38.6. He shot 4 of 16 from the floor, tonight. On too many possessions, Rubio’s first decision was to penetrate the lane and look for his own shot. It wasn’t working for him tonight. His overall efficiency (17 points on 16 shots) was partially saved by an ability to draw fouls (8-9 FT’s) that is second only to Love on this team. Ricky stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. Triple doubles are in this kid’s future.

A road win is a good win, especially with the Spurs and Lakers on the horizon. Additional jottings:

* I lobbied for Anthony Randolph to take the center minutes from Darko and Pekovic. Rick Adelman disagrees, obviously, because Randolph played 9 minutes tonight, while Darko and Pek combined for 44. Darko had an efficient 8 points, 7 rebounds and a whopping 7 blocks in 24 minutes. Pekovic shot 4 for 5, for 13 points and 7 rebounds in 20 minutes. Randolph? The only Wolf in the minus column (-5) with a 1 for 4 shooting night. Perhaps Coach knows what he’s doing.

* Lamar Odom looks horrible. He is notoriously inconsistent, but tonight looked cranky, out of shape, and not at all ready for an NBA basketball game. As he has done throughout his career, he took the bait on jump shot opportunities, and put together a 2 for 14 shooting performance in just 16 minutes of action. Mavs fans must miss them some Tyson Chandler.

* Solid game for Derrick Williams. He is not a small forward–that much should be obvious by now–but on plays when Rubio was cycling the half court with the ball, D-Thrill found opportunities to dive in the paint. He was rewarded with Rubio passes and easy hoops were had. On one instance, it was Rubio-to-Williams-to-Darko without the ball touching the floor. On another, Williams finished it off himself. 10 points (4-7 shooting), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 0 turnovers in 25 minutes is good work for a rookie playing out of position.